


Olive Branches and Jedi Mind Control

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Pre-White House (West Wing), Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-26
Updated: 2008-07-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 11:02:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "We don't have to be friends, and we're definitely not going to be more than that, but you will show me some respect."





	Olive Branches and Jedi Mind Control

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: This was written for the July 2008 prompt of celebrations on tww_minis on livejournal. _Everywhere_ was written by Christine McVie and performed by Fleetwood Mac.  


* * *

CJ pretended she wasn’t startled when she felt the sports jacket go around her shoulders. Unable to know how well she did, the new White House Press Secretary just let it go.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Freezing.”

“I can see that.” Danny Concannon leaned on the pole next to her. “Why?”

“We can't smoke inside.” She held up her cigarette. “Soon they are going to have people sneaking into their basements, lighting candles, and putting on classic Girlschool albums.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind.” She smiled, taking a long drag. “Please take your jacket back. At least I am wearing a sweater…you're going to freeze.”

“I'm fine.”

Actually, his teeth were chattering and his hands were getting numb but he was with her. The rest of it he would deal with some other time.

“Please, Danny. I get it; chivalry is not dead. You will be if you don’t put this back on. Here.” CJ shook it off her shoulders, giving it back.

Danny slid into it; it didn’t warm him up much.

“You look fantastic tonight. Five outfit changes, each more fascinating than the last.”

Right now, she was dressed in black slacks, a cranberry colored mohair v-neck sweater that hugged her nicely, and black leather boots.

“Right. I've been changing in the back of luxury cars all night.”

“There is something very sexy about that.”

“Whatever.” CJ rolled her eyes but she was still smiling.

That morning the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court swore Jed Bartlet in as the 43rd President of the United States. While the afternoon was a blur, parties filled the evening and night. There was the Governor’s Ball, the DNC bash, the Weinsteins' Hollywood thing, the DCCC on the Hill, and finally _George_ Magazine at the Jefferson Hotel. Outside of which CJ Cregg smoked a cigarette with Daniel Concannon from the _Washington Post_.

“You really do look good.”

“I'm going back inside.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Danny…” CJ did not look back or hold the side entrance door. He was right behind her; she knew that.

“I give you a compliment and you let the door close on me? Damn, it didn’t take you long to go diva, did it?”

“Shut up.” She turned and slapped him in the shoulder. The redhead reporter just smiled.

“I think you're cute when you're angry.”

“Well I think I loathe you.”

“No you don’t.”

CJ wanted to wipe that adorable, goofy grin off his face. Why did he have to be so cute? Why did he not seem to give a damn about a little thing called boundaries?

“It’s a party Claudia Jean…we should have fun together.”

“I don’t think so. And don’t call me that.”

“I am not the Senior White House Correspondent from the _Washington Post_ tonight.” He said.

“That’s always who you are.”

“Oh hey, there you are.” Josh Lyman came around the corner smiling when he saw them together. “I was looking for you, CJ. Hey, Danny.” He tilted his chin in the reporter’s direction.

“Hi Josh.”

“You were looking for me?” CJ asked.

“Yeah.”

All three of them looked at each other for a few awkward moments.

“I'm going home.” She broke the silence.

“We can't leave yet. I heard JFK, Jr. would be here in about 30 minutes. Donna assured me if I don’t introduce them then something bad will happen to me.”

CJ smirked. She’d met the publisher before…she did not need to hurt the new Deputy White House Chief of Staff.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll get a cab Josh; I'm beat.”

“No.” both men said in unison.

“What?”

“It’s after one in the morning.” Josh reasoned.

“And your point? Cabs turn into pumpkins here after midnight?” CJ asked.

“It’s snowing; there won't be many of them. You should…”

“I’ll take you home.” Danny offered, cutting Josh off.

“Yes.” He pointed at the reporter. “Danny will take you home.”

“No he won't.”

“Don’t be difficult, you can hate me tomorrow. Josh thinks it’s a good idea.”

“Josh thought it was a good idea to put a firecracker in Coke bottle.” CJ replied.

“Hey! Haven’t you ever heard of a bottle rocket, woman? Seriously, I am not going to sleep tonight if I don't know you're home safely.”

“You are not my brother, Joshua.”

“That’s where you're wrong.” He leaned to kiss her cheek. “I gotta find Donna and Sam; you were fantastic tonight. Take good care of her, Danny.”

“You got it.”

“I am taking a cab.” She said, glaring at him.

“Look,” he pulled a fifty-cent piece from his pocket. “Heads, you call a cab; tails you don’t.”

“Give it to me,” CJ held out her palm. “I’ll flip.”

She tossed the coin in the air, feeling it smack into her hand. She smacked it into her other hand. “Shit.”

“I’ll get me coat.” Danny said. “And yours too.”

“Fine. Stop smirking.”

“I really can't.”

***

He drove a Chevy Impala. It was too lived in to be a rental. There was scattered paper throughout, water bottles, and the ashtray was full.

“I didn’t know you smoked.” She said at their first red light. There was not much distance between the hotel and her condo.

“It’s a dirty habit; I'm down to two a day.”

“How do you fight it?”

“I chew on pens and lots of gum. Do you want to get some coffee?”

“No.” CJ shook her head.

“C'mon, its cold, and you should be celebrating. You're not being very nice to me.”

“I'm all celebrated out, Danny.”

“OK.”

Danny felt uncomfortable with the silence that followed so he slipped a tape into the deck. The voice of Christine McVie filled the car.

_Can you hear me calling_  
Out your name  
You know that I'm falling   
And I don’t know what to say  
I’ll speak a little louder  
I’ll even shout  
You know that I'm proud  
And I can't get the words out 

“I'm going into this Dunkin Donuts. Last chance.”

CJ didn’t say a word so he headed for the drive-thru. Danny pulled up to the intercom, ordering a medium hazelnut with extra cream and sugar, a buttered coffee cake muffin, and a medium black with extra sugar. He handed the black coffee to CJ after pulling it through the window.

“That’s the way you like it, right?” he asked.

“Is this supposed to be some kind of olive branch?”

“No, it’s a cup of coffee.”

“Well I don’t want it.” she put it in the cup holder. “God forbid my taking it means I am too friendly with the press. I don’t want to appear soft.”

“Oh God,” Danny sighed. “I did not say you were soft CJ.”

“Yes you did.”

“I think I know what I said.”

“You're not the only one in this town who knows people. Everyone wants to whisper in my ear….you thought it wouldn’t get back.”

“For God’s sake, is this high school? I did not say you were soft.”

“Oh, but I'm too friendly with the press. The same press that insisted on driving me home tonight. How come friendly is OK when you want to get into my pants?”

“I do not…CJ, the damn chip…dammit!”

“I am not some inexperienced starling or twinkle-eyed ingénue.” She went on. “I have a Masters degree from one of the best schools in the nation. I have an extensive political background and I have earned my stripes out there. We don’t have to be friends, and we are definitely not going to be more than that, but you will show me some respect.”

“Respect is earned, not bestowed upon. You know that.”

“Pull this damn car over; I want to get out.”

“It’s freezing out there.”

“I don’t live far so just let me out.”

“CJ…”

“Pull over; I mean it.”

“No.”

“PULL OVER!”

Her scream, full of frustration and anger, startled Danny. It seemed to startle her too. She trembled as the Impala pulled up to the next curb. Snow quickly gathered on the windshield after he cut the wipers. Steve Winwood sang but it sounded far away. The car was silent.

“I'm sorry.” Danny said.

“I'm the one who lost my temper; I should be apologizing. This damn night needs to be over.”

“You should not be upset tonight. The good guy won.”

CJ remained silent for a while. Danny studied her, doing his best to keep her from noticing. He had never seen her angry before. He needed to stay alert in case she struck out.

“The journey you're about to go on will be both adventurous and daunting.”

“Thanks for that, Obi Wan Kenobi.”

“The force is strong in you; Claudia Jean…let it guide your footsteps. Believe in it; it never leads you astray.”

She burst into laughter. When she looked at him, Danny could see the tears glistening in her eyes. They did not fall and he was grateful. If CJ cried, he was sure he would crumble.

“It really is just a few blocks.” She said. “I’ll walk from here.”

“I wish you wouldn’t. It’s snowing and Josh will kill me if he finds out I didn’t drop you at your step and wait until you were safely inside.”

“I'm a big girl and I won't tell him.”

“I know. I also know you will be a good Press Secretary though I don’t plan to make your job too easy. You will take plenty of bites; it’s a shark-infested tank. Don’t let the bigger fish push you around.”

“I work for the bigger fish.” CJ replied.

“You think I don’t know that. Don’t let them do it either.”

The car fell into silence again. CJ put her hand on the knob. Danny’s mind raced with a thousand reasons to convince her to stay.

“Our adversarial relationship is not going to change my feelings for you one drop.” He said.

“Goodnight Danny.”

“Congratulations.”

CJ turned back to him, a small smile forming on her lips. She took his hand in her own, leaned over and kissed his bearded cheek.

“Don’t you go blabbing about that to the boys in the locker room. I don’t like you and I will deny the entire incident.”

“So noted. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

CJ got out of the car. There were few cars on the street so Danny followed her home, making sure she got in alright. Neither one would give up their current path but he was sure she felt something for him. The next few months, years even, would be adventurous indeed.

***


End file.
